At “Slow Wine Fair” 2026 at BolognaFiere Carlo Petrini and Cardinal Zuppi dialogue with young people

The question around which the 2026 “Slow Wine Fair” (February 22nd - 24th), the edition No. 5 of the event dedicated to “good, clean, and fair wines” according to Slow Wine, will revolve is simple: what does a glass of fair wine tell us today? The fair will bring together 1,000 male and female winemakers who adhere to the Slow Wine Coalition and the Slow Food Manifesto, coming from all over the world to BolognaFiere, an exhibition center increasingly becoming a “hub” for the wine sector, and will once again take place alongside “Sana Food”, the format dedicated to the HoReCa channel and specialized organic food retail, in partnership with FederBio, is simple: what does a right glass of wine narrate today?
The answer, or better the answers, will emerge through talks and conferences focused on fair labor in the vineyard and responsible agricultural choices, on the future of young people who struggle to access land, on the potential of mountain territories to revitalize communities, and on the increasingly essential role of women in the wine world.
The focus of the 2026 “Slow Wine Fair” is “the positive impact that wine can have on territories and communities, as a driver of development and social inclusion” and Giancarlo Gariglio, Slow Wine curator and coordinator of the Slow Wine Coalition, explained that “the 2026 edition further broadens its perspective, placing at the center not only the sensory and environmental quality of wine, but also its impact on people and communities. A wine which is truly good and clean, according to Slow Food vision, must also be fair: produced without exploiting workers or land, capable of generating shared value, dignified work, inclusion, and new opportunities” (in an interview with WineNews alongside the BolognaFiere president, Gianpiero Calzolari).
The first panel, on February 22nd, will address “Il mondo in vigna, il giusto nel bicchiere” - “The world in the vineyard, fairness in the glass” exploring vineyard labor, which is often exposed to exploitative practices such as illegal recruitment. The session aims to demonstrate how justice, rights, and inclusion can become integral to wine production through interventions and experiences of Irene de Barracuia, advocacy and communication officer for Lideres Campesinas, the U.S. organization dedicated to empowering and defending the rights of migrant women working in agriculture, Maria Cristina Galeasso, coordinator of Accademia della Vigna - Academy of Vineyard, a project which integrates training, work, and social responsibility to foster ethical and quality employment opportunities, NoCap president Yvan Sagnet, leader of the association promoting ethical and sustainable supply chains, dignified working conditions, and respect for human rights in agriculture, and journalist Luca Rondi, author of “Uva nera” - “Black grape”, an investigation into illegal recruitment in the Langhe. Afterward, the talk “L’Uva è donna” - “Grapes are female” will feature journalist and writer Laura Donadoni, sommelier and wine entrepreneur Amelia Birch, and winemaker Franca Miretti of Cantina del Pino in Barbaresco, in the Langhe. The discussion will highlight the ongoing transformation in the wine sector, emphasizing women contributions and exploring new leadership models capable of overcoming stereotypes and inequalities.
On February 23rd, Carlin Petrini, founder of Slow Food - which celebrates its anniversary No. 40 in 2026, having been founded in Bra in 1986, ed - will take part in an informal conversation with young attendees of the 2026 “Slow Wine Fair”. Together with Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bologna, Petrini will reflect on the meaning of “fairness” and on the responsibility of building communities that respect both land and people. The discussion will be moderated by Giancarlo Gariglio and Mario Marazziti, spokesperson for the Sant’Egidio Community with the participation of illustrator and winemaker Boban Pesov.
Finally, on February 24th, the talk “Terre alte: quando il vino si fa comunità” - “High lands: when wine becomes community” will explore mountain viticulture and its role in safeguarding landscapes, regenerating territories, and offering opportunities for social and economic revival to local communities. Speakers will include Donatella Murtas, director of Itla; Samuele Heydi Bonanini, representative of the Slow Food Sciacchetrà Presidium; Claudio Zucchino, winemaker in the Jujuy wine region of Argentina; and Andrea Peradotto from the Pian di Stintino farm in Tredozio (Forlì-Cesena).
And, following the tradition, the 2026 “Slow Wine Fair” will be preceded by a series of online conferences: on January 28th, “Il vino slow a 360 gradi” - “Slow Wine at 360 degrees” with enologist and agronomist Adriano Zago, Marta Mendonça, Head Manager & Impact at Porto Protocol, and Francesco Sottile, vicepresident of Slow Food Italy; and on February 11th, “Vino e giustizia sociale” - “Wine and social justice”, a reflection dedicated to labor conditions in the wine world with Christian Buono of CoopEra, Maria Panariello of the Terra Aps association, and Francesco Pascale of the Terra Felix cooperative.